Willy's Bar & Grill: Annoyed, Not Anointed
by Philip S
Summary: Episode 5: Daniel sees a chance to score big with Master Nest by helping with the rise of the Anointed. Harvey wonders whether his philosophy might be annoying people.


Willy's Bar & Grill: Annoyed, Not Anointed - by Philip S.  
  
Summary: Episode 5 - Daniel sees his chance to score big with the Master when he learns that the Brethren of Aurelius are going to find the Anointed.  
  
Spoilers: Never Kill a Boy on a First Date  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: The characters appearing herein are (mostly) original creations, but everything is based on Joss Whedon's work. Characters from BtVS are mentioned and may appear now and then.  
  
Title Picture: http://www.shadow-dancing.com/Pics/Willys_Bar_and_Grill.jpg  
  
#  
  
"You hear about that bus accident the other night?" Willy asked as he brought them their beers.  
  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know, man. Seems ... sloppy to me. So many dead, so obvious. Didn't even disguise the bite marks and everything."  
  
Harvey shrugged back. "So someone had a little too much fun. It happens."  
  
"Yeah," Viktor agreed. "Either they'll get away with it or the Slayer will get them for it. No chip off our fangs either way."  
  
"And it's not like anyone in Sunnydale is ever going to believe it was vampires anyway."  
  
The two vampires nodded to each other and toasted.  
  
"It's these old-school types," Willy continued to complain. "Those Order of Aurelius guys, you know? Nothing but trouble. They don't give a damn about the little guy who just tries to run a decent business around here."  
  
"Yeah, they've got the whole 'drown-the-world-in-human-blood' thing going. Never gonna work."  
  
"Who wants a world without humans anyway?" Viktor asked. "What would we eat?"  
  
"I won't eat pigs, I tell you that. It's disgusting."  
  
"What about cow?"  
  
"I don't eat cow, either."  
  
"Yeah, but do you think it's as disgusting as pig? Or better? Worse?"  
  
"Not sure. That's one tasting experiment I will stay away from."  
  
The door to Willy's Bar & Grill flew open, admitting a rather excited- looking Daniel Fleetfoot. The young vampire skidded to a stop in front of Harvey and Viktor's table.  
  
"You guys heard the news? The Anointed is going to rise tonight."  
  
"The what?" they both asked in unision.  
  
"The Anointed! The Master's great warrior that will deliver the Slayer to him and bring about the end of the human world."  
  
"Ah, got it," Viktor nodded, turning back to his beer.  
  
"Another one of those," Harvey agreed.  
  
Daniel waited for more reactions, but quickly realized he was not going to get any. Willy seemed less than excited by the upcoming destruction of the human world, either, despite being a human himself. The remaining patrons, about half a dozen assorted vampires and other demons, ignored him as well.  
  
"Didn't you guys listen?" he finally asked, exasperated. "The Anointed will rise tonight and that will spell the end for the Slayer and the human world."  
  
"Yeah, maybe," Harvey admitted.  
  
That was the only other comment he received.  
  
"I don't believe you guys," Daniel went on. "Well, I'm not going to continue talking to the air in here, you know? I'll go and help and destroy the world."  
  
With that he stomped towards the door again.  
  
"Kid," Harvey called out, causing him to stop.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Just out of curiosity, where is this end of the world event thing taking place?"  
  
"It's ... I mean, I ... well, it should ... uh ..."  
  
"You don't know."  
  
"Well, ... no, not exactly. But ... but I'll be there anyway!" With that he stormed out.  
  
Harvey shook his head.  
  
"I really don't get that kid."  
  
"Come on," Viktor shrugged. "He's young. I distinctly remember a time when you were on that whole 'destroy the world, end the reign of humanity' trip yourself."  
  
Harvey shook his head. "I never had it this bad."  
  
"Oh no? Who was that young vampire who swore bloody vengeance on the world in general when Master Nest happened to get himself buried deep underground instead of opening the Hellmouth as he planned?"  
  
Harvey grumbled, refusing to comment. Instead he took another deep sip from his beer. Everyone had things in his past he was not particularly proud of. He had been but ten years undead at that time, barely more than a fledgling.  
  
Viktor looked at the door where Daniel had left. "Hate to say this, Harv, but I kind of worry about the kid. With a Slayer around it really isn't healthy to vent the whole hate of humanity."  
  
"I don't think he hates humanity," Harvey disagreed. "It's that whole being a demon thing. Makes him think he's got some kind of obligation to destroy the world."  
  
"Maybe. Still, the kid's gonna get himself killed soon if he doesn't get over it."  
  
"Probably. I tried talking to him a couple of times, but I don't think he really gets it."  
  
"You explained your philosophy to him, didn't you?"  
  
"What's wrong about my philosophy? Yours isn't too different from mine, you know?"  
  
Viktor shook his head. "I don't have a philosophy, Harv. Just a healthy amount of common sense, that's all. Doesn't mean I try to convert others to my way of thinking."  
  
"And I do?"  
  
"Well, as much as your philosophy about leaving troublesome things alone allows."  
  
Harvey pondered that for a moment. Was he really trying to convert people to his way of thinking? Well, maybe. Life, abstractly speaking, here in Sunnydale would certainly be a lot easier if all vampires subscribed to his philosophy. He never doubted for a minute that the Slayer was only here because fools like Darla, the Master, or the late Luke had stirred everything up.  
  
"It's not annoying, is it?" he asked Viktor. Seeing how much he hated annoying guys the last thing he wanted to be was annoying himself.  
  
"Only sometimes when you latch on to someone like Daniel."  
  
Harvey looked offended. "I don't latch on to anyone, especially not a potential troublemaker like that kid."  
  
Viktor gave him a knowing smile. "Oh, is that right? So it's just a coincidence that you've tried to get him off his 'I'm-a-demon-and-need-to- destroy' trip about half a dozen times already?"  
  
"Is it my fault he keeps coming here and sprouting all these things? Let's join Luke for the Harvest! Let's team up and take out the Slayer! Let's join Norman in working for the Master!"  
  
"And you always try to set him straight."  
  
Harvey huffed and ordered another round of beers, seeing that he was not going to win this particular battle.  
  
"I just ... well, I think I sorta like the kid," he finally admitted. "I mean, he's evil, you know, but not ... evil. Kinda like us."  
  
"I know what you mean, buddy. I guess we can but hope that lady luck really does have a thing for fools."  
  
#  
  
Much later that same night, shortly before dawn, Daniel stumbled back into Willy's and, without even looking at anyone, went directly toward the bar and ordered "the strongest thing you got and quickly!"  
  
"The world didn't end, I see," Harvey mumbled, looking up from the cards in his hand. Viktor, Shaggy, himself, and two other demons had started a poker game a little earlier, but he doubted that their preoccupation would have been strong enough to miss something like the world drowning in human blood or the sort.  
  
"The kid does look a bit depressed," Shaggy commented, glancing at his own cards. "I take two cards."  
  
Viktor dealt the required cards. "He would be more jubilant if the world was about to end, I think."  
  
"It's no fair," they heard Daniel exclaim, throwing back a shot. "It's simply not fair!"  
  
Viktor and Harvey looked at each other, then said "the Slayer" in unison.  
  
"She killed the Anointed," Daniel grumbled, though it appeared he was explaining this to the empty mirror in front of him, not to any of the patrons. "How does she get off killing the Anointed? He was supposed to kill her. Or something. It's not fair!"  
  
"Give me two as well, Vik," Harvey said, satisfied that they had the complete story now. Or as complete as he cared to hear it, anyway. Who cared how this Anointed might have bought it? The world was still here, which suited him just fine.  
  
"Should we invite him to join the game?" Viktor asked, looking at the thoroughly dejected-looking vampire talking to the mirror.  
  
Harvey shook his head. "Let him booze up a little, vent his anger. He'll be better company once he got it out of his system."  
  
They got back to playing.  
  
"I wonder what this Anointed guy was supposed to do," Viktor wondered to himself.  
  
"Do you care?"  
  
"Could have been entertaining, that's all. Well, I guess we'll never know now."  
  
"Better that way. What kind of name is 'the Anointed' anyway? No grown vampire could carry that name with any amount of dignity."  
  
"Damn right!"  
  
"Okay, I raise you ten."  
  
THE END 


End file.
